Wellton, Arizona Population, Hospitals, Airports, and Schools

Wellton, Arizona is a small rural town located in Yuma County in the southwestern part of the state. It is situated at the intersection of Interstate 8 and U.S. Route 95, approximately 27 miles east of Yuma and 25 miles west of Gila Bend. Wellton was originally founded in 1902 as a stop on the Southern Pacific Railroad line and has since grown to become an important center for agriculture in the area. The population of Wellton was 2,633 as of the 2010 census, making it one of the smallest towns in Arizona with a population under 5,000 people.

The town was named after William J. Wellman, who was a rancher and businessman from California who purchased much of the land around Wellton at auction during an economic downturn in 1906. He then went on to develop an irrigation system that allowed him to grow wheat, barley, and alfalfa on his land which helped to establish Wellton’s agricultural roots. Today, both crops are still grown in Wellton as well as other crops such as cotton, corn and hay.

Agriculture has long been an important part of life in Wellton and its surrounding areas with many farms still thriving today thanks to access to irrigation water from nearby reservoirs like Laguna Dam and San Carlos Lake. In addition, many farmers have also taken advantage of new technologies such as drip irrigation systems which have helped them increase yields while conserving water resources at the same time.

Despite its rural location, Wellton does offer some amenities including local grocery stores and restaurants along with a post office, library and medical clinic all located within town limits. There are also several churches located throughout town including Baptist, Methodist and Catholic places of worship which offer weekly services for those looking for spiritual guidance or fellowship opportunities within their community.

Wellton is also home to two schools: Cartwright Elementary School which serves students from kindergarten through eighth grade and Wellton High School which serves grades nine through twelve; both are part of the Yuma Union High School District #70 (YUHSD). The YUHSD also offers several extracurricular activities such as sports teams (including football), cheerleading squads and performing arts programs for students looking for ways to stay active outside of school hours or explore their creative side more deeply through music or drama classes offered by their local high school district programs.

Overall, residents living in or around Wellton can enjoy small-town living while still having access to some modern amenities that make life easier such as grocery stores, restaurants and medical facilities all within easy reach; not to mention numerous outdoor recreational activities available year-round thanks to its close proximity near national parks like Sonoran Desert National Monument or Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument as well as nearby lakes like Martinez Lake where fishing enthusiasts can cast out their lines.

Population: 1,829. Estimated population in July 2024: 1,862 (+1.8% change)
Males: 908 (49.6%), Females: 921 (50.4%)

Yuma County

Zip code: 85356

Demographics

Median resident age: 46.9 years
Median household income: $27,045
Median house value: $77,800

Population by Race

Races in Wellton:

• White Non-Hispanic (55.3%)
• Hispanic (40.7%)
• Other race (25.4%)
• Two or more races (2.5%)
• American Indian (2.1%)
• Black (2.0%)

(Total can be greater than 100% because Hispanics could be counted in other races)

Ancestries: German (10.0%), English (8.3%), United States (5.7%), Irish (5.2%), Norwegian (2.9%), Scottish (1.9%).

Elevation: 248 feet

Land area: 2.5 square miles

Population by Education

For population 25 years and over in Wellton

• High school or higher: 62.0%
• Bachelor’s degree or higher: 7.4%
• Graduate or professional degree: 3.1%
• Unemployed: 12.9%
• Mean travel time to work: 23.8 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Wellton town

• Never married: 15.5%
• Now married: 68.3%
• Separated: 2.5%
• Widowed: 6.4%
• Divorced: 7.4%

21.6% Foreign born (18.9% Latin America).

Population change in the 1990s: +685 (+59.9%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers near Wellton:

• PHS INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE HOSPITAL (about 35 miles; WINTERHAVEN, CA)
• YUMA REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER (about 36 miles; YUMA, AZ)
• PALO VERDE HOSPITAL (about 74 miles; BLYTHE, CA)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Wellton:

• YUMA MCAS/YUMA INTL (about 32 miles; YUMA, AZ; Abbreviation: YUM)
• LUKE AFB (about 137 miles; GLENDALE, AZ; Abbreviation: LUF)
• PHOENIX SKY HARBOR INTL (about 158 miles; PHOENIX, AZ; Abbreviation: PHX)

Other public-use airports nearest to Wellton:

• ROLLE AIRFIELD (about 39 miles; SAN LUIS, AZ; Abbreviation: 44A)
• BLYTHE (about 77 miles; BLYTHE, CA; Abbreviation: BLH)
• HOLTVILLE (about 79 miles; HOLTVILLE, CA; Abbreviation: L04)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Wellton:

• ARIZONA WESTERN COLLEGE (about 35 miles; YUMA, AZ; Full-time enrollment: 2,595)
• IMPERIAL VALLEY COLLEGE (about 101 miles; IMPERIAL, CA; Full-time enrollment: 4,006)
• GLENDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 150 miles; GLENDALE, AZ; Full-time enrollment: 9,981)
• ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY-WEST (about 151 miles; Glendale, AZ; Full-time enrollment: 3,334)
• GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY (about 152 miles; PHOENIX, AZ; Full-time enrollment: 2,207)
• UNIVERSAL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE INC (about 152 miles; PHOENIX, AZ; Full-time enrollment: 2,091)
• UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-RIVERSIDE (about 152 miles; RIVERSIDE, CA; Full-time enrollment: 12,213)

Schools

Public high school in Wellton:

• ANTELOPE UNION HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 348; Location: 9168 SOUTH AVE 36 EAST; Grades: 09 – 12)

Public primary/middle school in Wellton:

• WELLTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 378; Location: 29126 SAN JOSE AVENUE; Grades: PK – 08)